Improvement in animal-power



@nite-.fh tette getest ffirt.

JOSEPH J. ADGATE, OF LIBERTY', NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 77,236, ma April 28, 186s.

IMPROVEMENT IN ANIMAL-POWER.

T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH J. ADGATE, of Liberty, in the county of Sullivamand Stateot New York, have invented a new and-useful Improvement in Animal-Power; and Ido hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled inthe art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention lrelates to a new and useful improvement in machinery for utilizing the power of horses and other animals, whereby the same is more simple in construction, and more effective in operation. It consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts, as hereinafter more fully described.

`In the accompanying plate of drawings- Figure 1 is a side view of my invention.

Figure 2 is the outside view o i one ofthe endpieces of the frame of the machine.

Figure 3 represents a vertical crgss-section of my invention, ltaken in the line a' x, tig. 1.

Figure4 is a detail front view of a portion ofl the supporting-attachment ofthe platform-wheel.

Figure 5 is a detailview of the vibrating supporting-arm. I

Figure 6 is an end view of the nut, by means of which the supporting-attachment and vibrating supportingarm are held upon the frame.

Figure 7 is a side viewof the same;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the movable bearing in which the platform-wheel rotates.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The frame ot'y the machine is made of east iron, and. is composed of the two end-pieces A and A and thev perch B. t

The end-pieces A and A are somezvliatof the form as shown in the drawing, branching-out, so as to form suitable feet for thesupport of the machine, and are connected together by a mortise on. the inside of each of said end-pieces A', and a' dove-tail wedge-'shaped tenen on each end of. the perch B; said mortisesand said tenons being cast in and upon said end-pieces A and A, and said perch B thusaffording 'a strong and reliable means of securing said perch B between said end-pieces A and A', at the same time that said perch Bmay easily a't -any tim'e be removed, when required.

The perch B is furnished with two uprights, C and C', as shown', in the drawing, iig. l; each of said uprights C C beingprovided on the top withv suitable bearings, in which the shaft D rotates; The shaft D-is made of iron, and has keyed upon the same, between thenprights C, a metallic wheel, E. The whe'el E has a dat rim', upon which rests the platform-wheel E, as shown. l

The shaft D extends beyond the upright, CC and has keyed upon the right-handv end ofthe same a balanceJ Wheel, F, as shown.

Supported on two shorter uprights, between the uprghts C, and rocking in suitable bearings in said uprights, under the wheel E, is a double-curved brake, Gr, made of cast iron, in the form shown in the drawing;

-Said brake G is-an important feature in my invention, and, being a lever of equal arms, is so arranged that, by

`pressing down upon either arm of the sume, the other arm of said lever will bearup'nthe rim of the wheel El In the end of each of the arms of the said lever are notches, to receive the pivot a of the wooden lever Hi The lever Hhturning upon the pivot a in the notches in either end of the brake G, serves, when the longer arm of the same is forced down, to stop the wheel E, by the shorter arm of the same being pressed'against the rim ci' the said wheel E, lwhile the opposite arm of the brake Gr is pressed, by the downward movement of the A brake-lever/H, against the rim of the wheel E, on the other side of the same, as shown in g. 2,thus forming' a double brake, -or-a brakeon both sides of the Wheel E, operated by placing the lever H ori either side fof the Wheel E.

The platform-whcel M is of the/same material and oi' the same general form as the platform-wheels of like i powers now commonly in use, and is provided, through the centre of the same, with a hub and spindle, M, as showni Said spindle M is rigidly secured in said wheel L, so as4 to project down-ward,` as shown, and when in position, as shown in fig. 1, vthe wheel L rests, near thecircumferencc of said wheel L, upon the rim ofthe wheel E.

The manner Iof' supporting the centre of the wheel L, so that the wheel may be'held at'any convenient angle, in a plane inclined to a horizontal plane, is another important feature of the present invention, and is accomplished by an armed supporting-attachment, I, somewhat in 'thje formas shown in the drawing, iig. 4.

Rocking -or vibrating in suitable open bearings, b, in the arms of vthe attachment I, is a movable vibrating supporting-arm, J, provided with journals. bf, by'mcans of which the arm J is supported in the journals d ofthe attachment I, as shown at tig. 1. The journals!)1 are each fnrnishedjvith a niek, on the same side and in the samestraight line in each, which, when in a certain position with respect to the edge of 'the open `bearings b, will permit the' journals bl to enter said bearings b, so that, by turning the ar'm J, the journals b will turn entirely into saidlbearings 6. The openings of the bearings 6 are of less width than the diameter of the jour- 4nals bl, and consequently will not permit the passage of said journals 61 in or out of said bearings, except in a certain position of'the niek in the sarnc with reference .to the edge 'of the opening ofthe bearings 11.

ThcJsuppoiting-arm J is of the general form, as shown atiigs. 1 andfi, varying in length'according to the size and purpose of the whole machine, and is furnishcdat the lower end with a projection, c; said projection c being drilled orcountersunk upon the upper side to receive the end of thc spindlcM, as shown.

Upon the 'end-piece' A, at'the junction of the two feet of the same, is a circular vertical projection, K, whieh, for convenience, lz nay be part of said endpiece A. The projection K is drilled through tlre contre, as shovrn, to receivethe bolt ez.- l

The projection K is chambered out, onthe outside face ofthe same, so as to form a hub-like projection around the centre hole, as shown. Said hub-like .projection is furnished with a horizontal slot, a, to receive the key of the bolt c. Upon the outside of the end-piecev A, under the projection K, in an arc-of a circle whose centre isl the centre ofthe circular projection K, are notches or teeth al, as shown. i

Through the attachment I isdrilled a liole,-c, as shown at fig. 4. Said hole cfis of likediameter with the hole in the centre of the-projection K, and through said hole c, on each side ofthe same, is a slot, e, of like size and for like purposeas the slot a2.

v Upon the in sideV face of the attachment I is a short arc'oi` acirclc, whose diameter is the' same as the diameter of the circle of the-arechand whose centre is the centre of the hole c where arelthc teeth ai.

Another important feature of my invention consists in the manner of holding the attachment I against the projection K, which is -`a :complished in the following manner: Upon the outside of' Vthe attachment I, on each side ofthe slot e, said attachment'is provided with inclined faces, theinclination of the face on one side of the slot e being oppositeV to the inclination of the face on the other side of 4said slot c. The bolt c2, by means of which the attachment J' is held upon the end-piece A, is a metallic bolt, provided with a'squ'are head upon one end, to receive a wrench,vand with a cross-key rigidly secured to the other end of the same, as shown at iig. 7. The length -of the belt e2, between the key and the shoulderV of the same, is' exactly equal to the thickness of the attachment I on each side'vof the slot e, and the thickness of the circular'projection K around thecentrc of the same.4 Having first placed the supporting-arm .I in. 'position-in the bearings b of the attachment I, then place the attachment I against the outside of the projectionK, so that the boleta will correspond with the hole in the'centre of said projection K. The slot e being in Aa horizontal position, insert ther bolt eifrom the inside of the circular proj.ection, throughusaid projection K, and through the attachment I, and having placed the attachment I in such position as to give the platform-wheel L the necessary inclination. ,Said attachment I, having anrotating motion on the bolt e2 for that 'purpose by turning the bolt e2, the attachment I will be firmly held lagainst the circular projection K, and will be prevented from turning by thc notches or teeth a3 in said attachment I engaging with the notchesor teeth al on the end-piece A.

Supported by suitable projections on the end-piece A! is a fence or other upright, N, to which the animal is'hitched when walking upon the inclined-platformwheel L, and to lprevent injury to the animal from the balance-wheel F. i In a, radial slot in the y-wheel F is a crank-pin', O. The crank-.pin O'consists of a bolt '-ilatted n'oirt to th'e head to t theslot in the iiy-wheel F, and tomove freelyfin the same. Upon said` bolt on the outside of the wheel F are two washers, between which any-connecting-rod may be placed, and upon the'outcr end of said bolt are a screw-thread and'nut, by mean's of which the crank-piu O is firmly held in any position in'the slot in the Wheel F, and any connecting-rod is 4also held upon the crank-pin O, by xiieans'of which said crank-pin O is quickly adjusted in the slot in the wheel F', to give anyrequired length of stroke to a connecting-rod and its attachments.

Upon the arm J, and fitting inaI n otch, b2, in the same, is a movable metallic bearing, e, of the form as shown at fig. 8. The bearing e isifurnish'ed with a hole to receive the vspindle M, and agroove or channel, as shown, to receive oil or other lubricating-fluid, and direct the same to` the spindle M. The platform-wheel L ig placed with an edge upon the wheel E, with the spindle M through the bearing el and upon the arm c,?as shown` in the drawing, g. 1.

The operation is like'that of other similar powers new commonly in use,*motion being given to the platformwheel L by the walking of thc animal upon the same, said motion `being communicated by friction to the wheel E and'to the shaft D, and constructed, as above described, of proper size and strength', is adapted to horses, dogs, orother animals;y

The advantages over other similar machines are the ease and facility with which the inclination ofthe platform-wheel may be adjusted, .the peculiar eiliciency of the brake, the. ease with which the machine mayl be taken apart, when necessary, the c'oniienient method, owing to the peculiar constructiouet` the crank-pin '0, of adjusting the length of the stroke to the apparatus or purpose required. t

I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Y 1. A machine for utilizing and ,economizing animal-power, composed of a platform-wheel, L, rotating in' bearings in a vibratingarm, J', adjustable at any required angle by the supporting-attachment I, held upon the circular projection K, substantially as shown and described.

2. The rotating supporting-attachment I, furnished with notches or teeth a?, in combination with the cir cular. projection K, and the notches 0L1 on the end-piece A, substantially as shown and described.

3. The device fontighteningthe supporting-attachment I upon tbe circular projection K, by means of the bolt e and the opposite inclined faces on lthe attachment yl, substantially as shown and described.

4.. The vibrating-arm J, formed with a projection, c, in combination with the movable beringve1 and the spindle M, substantially as shown and described, and. for the purposesset forth.

' 5. The slots e and a2, in combination with the holte", substantially as vshown and described, and for. the

purposes set forth.

6. The manner ofjoining the end-pieces and Af with the perch B by mortiscs or slots, and wedge-shaped and dove-tail tenons, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

7. The double-acting friction-brake in combination wlth the wheel E, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth. I

8. 'The 'crank-pin O, arranged to be adjusted in a radial slot ina wheel, F, and secured in place by means of nut and washers, operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

The above specification of my invention signed by m'c,vtl1is 21st day of December, 1867.

. JOSEPH J. ADGATE Witnesses:

WM. F. llIcNAiuAnA,

ALEX. F. Honours. 

